Maharashtra tops list of convicts jumping parole, reveals NCRB data

As per NCRB data, a total of 39,199 inmates were released on parole in the country in 2015. Out of these, 501 inmates were reported as parole absconders.
(HT file photo)

The state has reported highest number of parole absconders in 2015, with as many as 152 persons jumping parole. The police, however, managed to arrest only 28 of the absconders. This date was revealed during the latest statistics made available by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the government agency responsible for collecting and analysing crime data.

As per NCRB data, a total of 39,199 inmates were released on parole in the country in 2015. Out of these, 501 inmates were reported as parole absconders. However, 209 absconders were re-arrested.

Out of the 152 parole absconders from Maharashtra, 149 were men while three were women. Those re-arrested were men. Punjab came second with 134 absconders, followed by Gujarat (73), Haryana (61) and Rajasthan (35), among other states.

The issue came to fore this year with Sajjad Mogul, the security guard sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Mumbai-based lawyer Pallavi Purkayastha, jumped parole from Nashik prison. “Lots of parole are managed and are given to convicts. Many convicts in Maharashtra are from other states and hence it is easy for them to abscond and difficult for our policemen to pursue them due to lack of staff,” said YP Singh, former IPS officer and a lawyer.

Statistics revealed that the highest number of persons released on parole were from Punjab (10,861), followed by Madhya Pradesh (5,340), Tamil Nadu (5,327), Haryana (4,411), Gujarat (3,248), West Bengal (1,878), Rajasthan (1,825) and Maharashtra (1,670), among others.

“Every time a person jumps parole, we inform the local police station who are supposed to re-arrest such absconders. We co-ordinate with the local police to trace them,” said Additional director-general (prisons) BK Upadhyay.

He added that a prisoner becomes eligible for parole upon fulfilling ceratin criteria, but most of them misuse this freedom and jump parole. “Re-arresting such absconders will send a strong message,” Upadhyay added.

What is parole?

Parole is the provisional release of a prisoner who agrees to certain conditions prior to the completion of the maximum sentence period or emergency situations.